Door and frame for air-tight chambers.



Patented Apr. l5, I902.

S P. STEVENSON.

0003 AND FRAME FOR AIR TIGHT CHAMBERS.

(Application filed S'ept. 16, 1899. Renewed July 18, 1901.)

(No Model.)

2 Sheets8heet I.

.A/fiz BY M ATTORNEY.

m: Nuams PETERS co. mom-umo. wAsmNm-ou, n. c,

Patented Apr. l5, I902.

8 P. STEVENSON. DOOR AND FRAME FUR AIR TIGHT CHAMBERS.

(Application filed Sept. 18, 1899. Renewed July 18, 1901.)

2 SheeIs-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

4/ z m m WITNESSES 1 THE NORRIS PETERS co, vuoTaumu, WASHINGTON, o c.

hllTF rates ATENT OFFICE.

.8. PRICE STEVENSON, OF CHESTER, PENNSYLVANIA.

DOOR AND FRAME FOR AIR-TIGHT CHAMBERS.

SI-ECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 697,689, dated April15, 1902.

Application filed September 16,1899. Renewed July 13, 1901, Serial No.68,250. .lNQ Imam-1 a To (tZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, S. PRICE STEVENSON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chester, Delaware county, Pennsylvania, have invented a newand useful Improvement in Doors, Hinges, Locks, and Frames Therefor forOpening and Olosin g Air-Tight Chambers, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to doors and shutters for air-tight chambers, andespecially to those required for refrigerators and cold-storageapartments, and embraces the doors and frames therefor and combined withthe hinges and latches or looks for connecting and fastening the doorsand frames, and has for its object the production of such frames anddoors with the connecting parts as a commer- -cially-merchantablearticle of trade of easyapplicability to refrigerating and otherchambers required to be air-tight and with a facility of adjustment toautomatically compen sate for any defects of form that may developeither in the door or in the wall of the chamloer to which the door orframe is applied and facility of closing, latching, and opening thatpermits such functions with the least care and exertion of force.

The hinges and latches herein described as combined with the doors andframes are susceptible of other uses and form the subject of distinctapplications for Letters. Patent of the United States, numbered 686,989and "569,394, respectively filed on the 27th day of July, 1898, and the19th day of November,

To effect these several desiderata, this invention consists in a doorhaving two rigid upright sides or edges united by flexible inside andoutside sheathing and upper. and lower rails and a frame and casin ginto which the door fits, said frame and easing being adjustablyapplicable to door-openings in walls,

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a door-frame with the door in openposition embodying this invention. Fig. 2 is a front elevation thereofwith the door closed. Fig. 3 is a vertical section. Fig. 4 is a sideelevation. Fig. 5 is a horizontal section in closed position. Fig. 6 isalike section in open position. Fig. 7 is an enlarged perspective view ofa portion of the gasket-packing. Fig. 8 is an enlarged perspective viewof the latch and lock. Fig. 9 is an enlarged view of one of the hinges.Fig. 10 is an enlarged View of a modified form of hinge. Fig. 11 shows afront elevation of the lock and latch with the keeper therefor asapplied to a door anddoor-jamb or stile embodying this invention. Fig.12 is a rear elevation of the lock and latch with the back plateremoved. Fig. 13 is a side elevation of the latch and keeper as viewedfrom the right side of Fig. 11. Fig.14 is a detached side elevation ofthe keeper as viewed in the same direction as in Fig. 13. Fig. 15 is avertical section in the plane indicated by the dotted line Y Y in Fig.12. Fig. 16 is avertical section in the plane indicated by the dottedline Z Z in Fig. 12. Fig. 17 shows the inner side of the back plate ofthe lock and latch case. Fig. 18 is a perspective view of thelatchinglever and handle of thelatch. Figs. 19 and 20 show modificationsof the lever-handleand of the latch.

Referring to the drawings, a represents the wall of arefrigeratirig-chamber to which this invention is applied.

b is the frame, to which is fitted and hung the door'c.

d is the front casingof the frame 12, formed of thin boards andtransversely flexible.

The frame 1) consists of stiles or jambs e and rails or strips forming alintel f andsill f, connecting them. Theseparts c and f are rigidedgewise and lengthwise,but susceptible of torsionally bending to anextent and for a purpose that will hereinafter appear.

0 is the door, consisting of an upright g, to which the hinges h areattached by screws or rivets, and a rigid stile t', having the lock andlatch j, attached in like manner. The stiles g and c' are connectedatthe top and bottom by strips or rails and Z, as shown in Figs. 3, 5,and 6. The rails 7c and Z are susceptible of slight torsional ilexuro.The inner face m of the door is formed of sheathing grooved and tongued'together so as to be air-tight, and while slightly flexible torsionally,as a plane, is stiff edgewise. The outer face 91. of the door is made toproject as a rim over the front casing d. It may be made of stripsgrooved and tongued like the inner face m or paneled, according totaste. It should be stiff edgewise and have some flexibility torsionallyfrom a plane surface.

The frame of the door 0, consisting of the stiles g and 11 and strips orrails 70 and Z, fits easily within the frame I) and casing 01. The

outer face 71 overlaps the casing d, forming a flange or rim 1, and hasa gasket 0 attached thereto, which, contacting with the casing d, sealsthe joint air-tight. The gasket 0 (shown in Fig. consists ofa soft roundcore 19, preferably of spun hemp, covered with a flexible fabric orcloth q. The edges of the cloth lap upon each other and form a flange r,by which it is tacked to the door, so that the elasticity of the core pis not obstructed by the tacks. The gasket 0 is compressed and slightlyflatened and held clamped between the casing d and the rim 1 of the doora by the combined actiomof the hinges h and the latch 3, hereinafterdescribed.

The hinges h, hereinafter described, are attached to the door 0 byscrews 8 and t, as shown in Figs. 2, 3, 5, and 6. Horizontal strips uare placed in the door 0, into which the screws .9 enter, and the screwst hold in the stile g. The extended portion (marked '0) of the straps ofthe hinges 72. between the screws t and the pivots w is made elasticallyflexible horizontally, but is stiff vertically. Thebearing w of thepivots w are fastened by screws y to the front casing d, as shown inFig. 4. The elastic portions '0 of the hinges h are made tapering inWidth, as shown in Fig. 9, with-the greater breadth at the place wherethey are attached to the stile g and front '11. of the door 0 by thescrews t, and are of such proportions that the flexure of the plates isas nearly uniform as may be throughout these parts, the object of thetapering form being to distribute the flexure evenly in the platesandavoid permanent bending or set at any point, thereby impairing theelasticity ofthe hinge-plates. The same effect can be attained, but in aless satisfactory manner, in the form shown in Fig. 10, wherein thehinge-plate z is of equal breadth throughout, but tapered in thickness.The distance between the pivots w of the hinges h and the point ofattachment to the door 0 is such as to provide ample elasticity to thehinges and at the same time operates toleave the doorway unobstructed bythe thickness of the door 0 when opened at right angles to the frame I).

In applying the door and frame to a dooropening for use the frame isplaced in the dooropening in the wall with the casing overlapping on theouter surface of the wall. The frameis then strained or twisted as maybe required to contact the casing (Z of the frame with the rim 1 on thedoor. Strips 27 are then applied closely to the inner edge of the frameand fastened to the wallin close contact therewith, and other strips28-are fastened to the wall in close contact therewith and with theouter edges of the casing d.

The latch 2 is applied to the side of the door a opposite the hinges h,at or near the midlength of the door, and engages a keeper 3, secured tothe casing (1. Both the latch 2 and keeper 3 are specially designed andadapted for use with such doors and are important elements in theefficient working of this invention. This is shown fully in all itsdetails in Figs. 11 to 20 of the drawings and is constructed andoperates as follows:

4 represents the case of the lock, (see Figs. 11 and 12;) 5, the backplate thereof; 6, the latching-hook, formed as a lever-arm integrallywith the cross-bar or rock-shaft 7 and looped lever-handle 8. Therock-shaft 7 rests in notches 9 in the box 4 andis held therein by theback plate 5.

3 is the keeper in which the latch engages. This is secured to thecasing d and has an inclined surface 10, upon which the latchinghook 6slides until it reaches the angle 12, on which it hooks.

13 is a projection or short lever-arm on the rock-shaft 7, against whichthe upper end of the spring 14 presses, forcing the hook 6 upward andthe looped lever-handle 8 toward the door. The spring 14 is forced intocontact and is held in position with the arm 13 by a projection 15 onthe inner side of the back plate 5. The back plate 5 is secured to thebox by a screw 18 fitting in a boss 19, formed in the box 4. The spring14 is a straight elastic plate and fits in the recess 20 in the box'4,so that it cannot be displaced. A lever-arm 21 is formed integrally withand projects down- .wardly from the rock-shaft 7 in such position as toclear a projection 22 on a bolt 23 when the latch is unfastened and whenthe bolt 23 is locked in the lever 21 rests on the projection-22 andprevents motion of the lever 21, rock-shaft 7, and handle 8 and theunlatching of the hook 6,.fromthe angle of the keeper 3. The bolt 23 isoperated by akey and may have tumblers or any of the usual attachmentsfor obstructing unauthorized unfastening.

As shown in Figs. 17 andlS, a lever-handle 24, extending through anaperture 25 in the case 4, is substituted for the looped handle 8, whichconstruction is found more convenient for large sizes.

Constructed as above described the momentum of the door in closingsuffices to latch it, and the simple pulling of the lower end of thelooped handle 8 serves to unlatchand open the door.

From the construction of the parts of the lock they are easy ofproduction by casting and require little or no fitting to assemble themfor use. The spring is of cheap production and easily renewed withoutany considerable degree of skill. The parts of the lock and latch areheld together when assembled by the screw 18, and when applied to adoorfor use the screws by which it is fastened to the door firmly hold theplate 5 in position by clamping it between the box 4: and the door 0. Asa consequence of the torsional flexible qualities of the door and frameand the means of continuously exerting elastic pressure at the hingesand the look without any special attention such doors remain air-tightcontinuously with a minimum of strain and labor. The door in closing byits weight and motion acquires considerable momentum. This is greatestnear the latch, and asit is arrested is expended first in latching andin compressing the gasket 0 and flexing the straps of the hinges h. Thenthe elastic reaction on the hinges makes a constant closing pressure onthe gasket and permanently seals the closed door.

It is obvious that the frames and doors can be made as described andsold separately, as may also the hinges and latch, and afterwardassembled and put to use. All of these parts are of novel and usefulconstructionand adapted to cooperate with each other, but are separatelysalable,- and therefore are made the subject of separate and distinctapplications for Letters Patent.

Having described my invention and the operation thereof, What I claimis 1. A door for air-tight compartments consisting of rigid stilesunited by rails susceptible of torsion, a flexible inner sheathing, aflexible outer sheathing having a rim projecting beyond the stiles andrails, and a compressible gasket secured to said projecting rim, incombination With elastic hinges and a latch so proportioned as to exertequal pressure upon the gasket in all parts between the rim of the doorand a casing surrounding the door-opening as set forth.

2. A combined frame and casing for the door-openings ofrefrigeratingchambers,consistin g of stiles and rails rigid in thedirection on their breadth and length, and susceptible of torsionalflexure, in combination with a front casing secured thereto, adapted tocontact with the gasket of the door opposed thereto, the whole arrangedand adapted to be adjustably applied thereto, substantially as setforth.

3. In a door for air-tight compartments, rigid stiles united by railssusceptible of tor sion, and a flexible inner sheathing attached to saidframe, in combination with a flexible outer sheathing, also secured tosaid stiles and rails, and provided with arim projecting beyond thestiles and rails, adapted to overlap and by flexure apply closely to thecasing of the door-opening substantially as set forth.

4. In a frame for doors of air-tight com partments, stiles and a linteland a sill rigid in le gthwise direction, and torsionally flexible, incflmbination with a torsionally-flexible casi g ttached to the front ofsaid frame, and a p d to be adjusted by torsion to fit the deviationsfrom a fiat plane of a door applied thereto, substantially as set forth.

5. In a combined air-tight door and frame for refrigerating and likechambers, a door having rigid stiles, rails connecting with said stiles,susceptible of torsional flexure, an inner sheathing susceptible oftorsional flexure, an outer sheathing projecting beyond the stiles andrails, also torsionally flexible, and a frame having all parts rigid inthe direction of their depth, a casing secured to said frame, a gasketapplied to said outer sheathing to contact with said casin g, incombination with elastic hinges and a latch, proportioned and arrangedto press said door upon said gasket uniformly in all parts against saidcasing,with continuous pressure, as and for the purpose set forth.

6. Doors having rigid edges and torsionallyflexible faces in combinationI with elastic hinges and-fastenings, arranged and adapted to applytheedges to'contact with casings liable to variably deviate fromflatplanes, as and for thepurpose setforth.

7. A door in combination with hinges, and fasteners, arranged to convertthe momentum of the door in closing into a constant elastic force, tomaintain pressure-upon a gasket applied between the door and the marginof the door-opening as set forth.

8. In a door for air-tight inclosures, a doorway-frame, a flexible doorfitted to overlap the front margin of said frame, elastic hinges appliedto edge of said door, an automatic fastening, applied to the oppositeedge of the door, and arranged to elastically enforce contact betweenthe margin of-the frame and the margin of the door, substantially as setforth.

9. In a door for air-tight apartments, a torsionally-flexibleframeformed of rigid stiles and rails, an inner andouter torsionallyflexiblesheathing secured thereto, said outer sheathing projecting as a rimbeyond the.

frame and provided with a compressible gasket adapted to contact closelywith the casing of-a door-frame, substantially as set forth.

10. In a door and frame for air-tight apartments, a door frame andeasing, having rigid edges and torsionally'flexible casing, incombination with a door having an edgewise-rigid frame andtorsionally-flexiblefaces, one of which faces overlaps the face of thecasing, and a gasket applied to said overlapping face,

substantially as set forth.

11. A-door having an edgeWise-rigid frame and flexible faces, one ofwhich faces projects beyond the frame, in combination with a gasketapplied to said projecting face, and elastic hinges attached to saiddoor, adapted to elastically connect the door with a doorframe,substantially as set forth.

12. A door having an edgeWise-rigid frame and flexible faces, one ofwhich faces projects beyond the frame, and a gasket applied'to saidprojecting face, in combination with a 14. In a frame for doors ofair-tight apartments embracing a lintel a sill and torsionally-flexiblejambs and a broad front casing adapted to support extended hingesarranged to swing the door clear of the line of the doorway-opening whenopened at right angles as set forth. v

S. PRICE STEVENSON.

Witnesses: v

S. LLOYD VVIEGAND, CHARLOTTE H. GILLINGHAM.

